


Just Dance

by LittleHouseMouse



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Age Difference, James is forty, John is thirty, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 10:18:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14235129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleHouseMouse/pseuds/LittleHouseMouse
Summary: James Flint can't dance to save his life but he gets dragged to a dance class by his best friend Miranda Hamilton. She keeps insisting they need to do new stuff together. James would much rather sleep on his Sundays. But then he meets the instructor, one John Silver. He. Is. Doomed.





	Just Dance

**Author's Note:**

> DanceInstructor!Silver and Artist!James. I don't know what I was thinking when I started writing this.  
> If age difference squicks you, this is probably not for you. BUT! Silver is 30 years old and James is turning 40.

James blinked awake at the shrill ring from his phone. He groaned while stretching an arm out and the display told him it was Miranda calling. At 07:30 on a Sunday morning.

“What the fuck is it?” He answered grumpily. His Sundays were holy and he deserved sleeping in at least one morning a week.

“Darling!” Miranda's chirping voice greeted him. “It’s time you get out of the bed if you’re going to join me today!”

“I’m what?” He wiped the sleep from his eyes a bit confused. He can’t remember making any plans today. In fact he is pretty sure he didn’t, since it’s Sunday and Sunday’s are meant to be lazy.

“I’ve decided we need to get out more so I signed us up for a dance class.”

“You _what_?” He sat up in bed, sputtering the words. He would never agree to a dance class! He had two left feet and he’d accepted that many years ago.

“I asked around at work last week and apparently this guy is a really good teacher. He’s starting a new class today.”

“I’m not doing it. You can dance on your own.”

“James. There are only so many times you can go out to dinner and have a bottle of wine on date-night.”

“I thought you liked-”

“I do. I do like spending time with you. But it isn’t fun and exciting anymore. We need fun. We’re almost forty, James.”

“Exactly! Dance classes are for young people and I-”

“We’re almost _forty_ , James. Not _eighty_. I don’t know about you but I’m not about to walk around and just exist while waiting for death to claim us. Let’s live a little.”

“You- Why do you always have to go to such extremes when convincing me to do things?”

“So you’re convinced?” 

He loved her and she was his best friend, but sometimes she could be really annoying and pushing him out of his comfort zone.

“When does it start?” James sighed and rubbed his eyes, resigned to his fate dealing with this woman.

………………

He was surprised to discover they weren’t the oldest people there and even more surprised to discover that, judging by their looks, there were not one single person under 30. The class started at 10 and they made it with a whole 5 minutes to spare.

They were all mingling around the table that held water and coffee while waiting for their instructor. There were 16 other people there. James felt nervous, he hadn’t danced in front of other people in approximately ten years. He couldn’t move his body properly, always messed up and his feet lived a life of their own. That was when he didn’t trip over them. He _couldn’t_ _dance_.

“Relax, it will be fine.” Miranda said as she patted him on the shoulder. She was smiling at him so initially he had to smile too. She looked happy and they hadn’t even begun the class yet. No matter how embarrassing this would be, it would be worth it if it made her smile like that.

The door opened and in came what he assumed to be their instructor. He immediately turned to Miranda.

“A kid. He’s a fucking kid.”

“We don’t know how old he is. Give him a chance!” She hissed back and then shushed him when he opened his mouth to say something else.

He took in the kid in front of them. He was dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a light-grey tank top. The sweatpants were practically hanging off of his hips like they were too big and would fall off at any minute. The tank top were tighter but not too tight, even though it was a ribbed one. He was definitely fit under the clothes, just the slightest hint of his abs and pecs through the fabric. Around his neck he wore a simple necklace of silver with a small sapphire-blue stone. James doubted it was a real sapphire though. If you could afford real sapphires, you probably wouldn’t teach dancing. The guy had tied his hair into a man-bun on top of his head but his hair seemed to have other ideas since some locks had escaped bun-prison.

“Hello everyone! Welcome to my class!” He yelled so everyone could hear him properly. “My name is John Silver and for the next five Sundays I will be teaching you how to dance!” He smiled and then went on to explain which dances they would go through. They wouldn’t learn everything but hopefully they would learn _something_ that they could take with them and enjoy.

James didn’t listen very carefully because he didn’t really know the names for any of the dances, except for tango and waltz. Modern dances? He didn’t have a clue. Also, he was a bit distracted by this John Silver guy. He had a great body, that was true, but his face was incredible. His hair was really dark, either black or a very dark brown, he was tanned and it made his sapphire-blue eyes stand out. His teeth were white and his smile so wide it made his eyes sort of squinty. There were creases around his eyes when he smiled. James stomach dropped as he realized he was attracted to this guy. He was what? Twenty? And James was almost forty. He snorted at himself, feeling shame for the first time in a long while.

John talked some more and then went over to a panel in the wall, slid it aside and revealed a music system that was digital and very high-tech. James thought of his own little stereo in his studio and felt even older. He couldn’t see any speakers around so they had to be built in somewhere because music started to play from somewhere. It was on low, but they could still hear the beat of it.

“OK everyone! Form three lines with six people in each and then spread out!” He instructed them. Miranda ended up in the front line and James in the second, right behind her. He could still see himself in the mirrored walls but mostly just his head. Only he and another man, with grey hair, were taller than the others. John Silver started to yell instructions as he made the steps himself and made sure everyone saw how he did it. He counted loudly as he added more steps so they all could keep the rhythm.

They went on and before they knew it, John warned them they only had about 10 minutes left of the class. James did it. He kept up with the steps for the whole two hours and felt proud. He was a little stiff in the movements, he knew that, but he fucking did it.

John said he wanted to see if they had learned anything from today’s lesson, so they would have to dance without instructions and the music would be loud. He wished them all good luck and then turned the music up so high that James could feel the base like a second heartbeat. John walked in among them and moved his body with the beat of the music. He made thumbs up to some and patted the shoulder on others. He was coming closer and James felt utterly stupid and his movements became stiffer with every step.

Then there he was, right in front of him. John looked at James’ feet and then wandered up his body until he met his eyes. This close, his eyes were even bluer. John tilted his head a little to the side and watched his moves. Then he reached out and put one hand on James hip and helped him move with a softer, more fluid movement. James could feel the warmth seep into him through his t-shirt. He felt extra gross and sweaty but Silver was sweaty too, James could see drops of sweat slide from his hair, down his neck only to be soaked up into the tank top.

James swallowed and felt a bit breathless. John danced with him for a minute or so before the song changed and he moved on. He didn’t seem to stop and help anyone else though so James again convinced himself he sucked at dancing.

When the class was over they all clapped and made for either the door or the table. Some walked up to John to talk with him. Miranda was talking to the man with the grey hair, smiling wide and making way to the table and getting some coffee. James kept to the background. He wanted Miranda to date more. The way the other man looked at her and flirted with her, she may very well be soon. James smiled.

“It’s not often you see a man smile when another man flirts with his wife.” A voice said next to him. He turned to John.

“She’s not my wife.” He said just as Miranda’s laughter reached them.

“Really? You guys looked pretty close when I came in.”

“We are.” He replied and John looked confused for a moment. “She’s my best friend. She has been for almost twenty years now.”

“Oh, OK. So… what did you think of the first lesson?” John asked and raised a bottle of water to his lips. His adam’s apple bobbed as he drank almost half the bottle in one go. 

“I actually enjoyed it.”

“Actually?” John smiled and James realized that maybe that sounded like an insult.

“Uh, Miranda dragged me here against my will and I thought I would hate it. But it was fun.”

“I’m glad.” John smiled wider.

“James.” Miranda joined them and waved goodbye to grey-haired guy as he left. She held up a piece of paper with a phone number on it. “Score! I’ve got a date!” she said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Congratulations. What’s his name?”

“Peter. Hi John Silver, I’m Miranda. I _loved_ your class.” She turned towards the man next to them and glanced him over. 

“Hi, nice to meet you. And thanks.” John said before he downed the last of his water. James didn’t know where to lead the conversation next, but fortunately Miranda did. 

“So, lunch? I’m starving.” She said and looked at James again.

“Absolutely, sweetheart.” He smiled and Miranda started turning away but then turned back, looking at John again.

“John, would you like to join us for lunch?” She asked and James almost swallowed his tongue. They didn’t know this guy at all, what was she thinking?

“Oh. Uh, thank you for inviting me but I’ve already got plans. I’m meeting my best friend at Mr. Scott’s.”

“Oh you’re kidding! That’s exactly where we are going! Can we offer you a ride at least?” For a quick moment Miranda winked at James while John Silver accepted her offer. James had never heard of the restaurant before and he bet Miranda hadn’t either. She was on one of her get-James-interested-in-someone- scheme. He could strangle her but at the same time he also wanted to kiss her.

………………

The restaurant had been amazing. The food was to die for and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. When they showed up, John had introduced him to his best friend Madi and it turned out she was the daughter of the owner of the restaurant. She was also John’s ex. Madi insisted they sit together all four of them and during lunch she helped them choose the best meals and talked about John’s dance class and how they had known each other since high school. They found out that John had actually just turned 30 so he was not quite as young as James had thought.

More talk about dancing and Miranda went off on a tirade about James’ refusal to go dancing for ten years because he thought he sucked. James was mortified but felt better about it when John said he didn’t suck at all, especially if he hadn’t danced in so long.

Now when James was in his studio, freshly showered and painting, a sense of calm came over him. Dancing had been fun. He would continue going to those classes, even if it interfered with his lazy Sundays. Warmth spread through his body when he though about how John had met his eyes several times during lunch and given him a warm smile every time it happened.

Spanish guitars sounded from the stereo and he blinked before he put down his brush. He went to his stereo and turned up the volume really high and placed himself in the middle of the room.

He started moving his feet and swayed his hips with the rhythm. What he didn’t do in class was move his arms very much because he concentrated so much on his feet and trying not to fall over. But he put them into the air now that he was at home and had all the space he wanted and where nobody else could see him. He swung them around while moving his feet. He still felt a bit stiff in the hips. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes and just didn’t give a fuck and just moved with the music. His hips relaxed and the movements felt better. The song changed but he kept moving until he was all sweaty again. He would probably be so sore tomorrow, he’d have to call Miranda to come and help him out of bed.

Suddenly there was a creaking floor-board and he looked up, startled. Miranda was watching him with a hand on her chest and smiling. Embarrassed was an understatement and he hurried to turn down the music.

“Miranda, what are you doing here?” 

“You forgot your phone in my car.” She held it up. James hadn’t even noticed. She came closer and held it out to him. “I left a little surprise for you in there” she winked and James was instantly suspicious. The last time she said something similar, James had been out on a date with a guy. When he brought the guy home, _someone_ had taped pictures of naked breasts  all over his living room. The guy had excused himself pretty quickly after that. Miranda had decided she didn’t like the guy so he had to go. James had been furious then but now, looking back, she was probably right. He couldn’t even remember the guy’s name anymore and it had been what? Five years since then? 

“What did you do?” He used his most demanding voice but of course that didn’t affect her at all. She winked again and left. As soon as she was gone he immediately checked his gallery and downloads and whatever he could think of but he couldn’t find anything. Which made him even more nervous.

**********

 

To be continued… 


End file.
